Apparatus for inclined earth drilling



Sept 9, 1941- H.s. BRlowN 2,255,241

APPARATUS FOR INCLINED EARTH DRILLING Filed Feb. l2, 1940 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 9, 1941. H. s. BROWN APPARATUS FOR INCLINED EARTH DRILLING SePf- 9, 194 l H. s. BROWN 2,255,241

APPARATUS FOR INCLINED EARTH DRILLING Filed Feb. l2, 1940 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Sept 9 1941 H. s. BROWN 2,255,241

. APPARATUS FOR ICLINED EARTH DRILLING Filed Feb. 12, 1940 'e sheets-sheet 4 ZFT Sept. 9, 1941. H. s. BROWN v 'APPARATUS FORINCLINED EARTH DRILLING Filed Feb. l2, 1940 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 sept. 9, 1941. H. s. BROWN 2,255,241

, v APPARATUS FOR INCLINED EARTH DRILLING Filed Feb. l2, 1940 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Sept. 1941 APPARATUS FOB. INCLNED ETH Hugh S. Brown, Harvey, lll., assignor to The Hubron Company, Inc., Somerville, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey application February 12, 1940, serial No. 318,538

(ci. Z55-31) 19 Claims.

Earth drills made in accordance with my prior Patents Nos. 1,575,146, 1,674,189, 1,595,851, and 1,807,148 have proved very satisfactory and emcient for the purposes for which they were designed. Sometimes, however, itis desired to drill a hole at a rather steep angle. For example, in case of defense against aggression it is `common practice to place mines under roads and bridges. According to the present invention the mines can be placed under the roads and bridges by drilling holes at an angle of say 45 and lowering the mines into the holes. v

In providing equipment, and especially mobile equipment, for drilling deep holes at angles as wide as 45 from the vertical, various problems are introduced. For example, the spindle must be adequately braced so as to support the weight of the upwardly inclined portion thereof without undue flexing, the strain due to the weight of the remote end being very marked when the spindle is inclined at an angle of 45. Furthermore, means must be provided to keep this weight from causing the tilting parts to bind, or even be torn loose from their mountings. Also, the chains used for raising and lowering the spindle have a decided tendency to sag, even though the spindle on the top of the carriage and frame and showing one roller in cross section.

Fig. 6 is a side view of a worm gear segment which isused f'or pivoting the drill assembly to the 45 position and also locks the two mounting rings or cradles in telescoped relation, the

. ures being taken approximately on the lines 8-8 and 9 9 respectively of Fig. 12.

Fig. l0 is a fragmentary detail sectional view taken approximately on the line of Fig. 11, showing the interlocking of thechain and the carriage.

-Fig. 11 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken approximately on the line of Figs. 4 and 10.

is braced. It is an object of the invention to A overcome these difnculties.

In any earth drilling equipment, particularly 'that designed to be used in emergency for defense Fig. l2 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken approximately on the line |2|2 of Fig. 4, showing particularly thecross section of the outer cradle, the conventional control head being removed therefrom for the sake of simplification.

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary sectional view taken approximately on the line |3|3 of Fig. 4, showi ing particularly a preferred shape for a bracket used for mounting the tower.

A preferred form of the invention has been chosen for illustration and description, in compli.. ance with Section 4888 of the Revised Statutes,

mounted, and furthermore it is eounterbannced but persons Skilled in the art will readily pemeive so that it may be raised quite easily and rapidly by one man. The counterbalancing is particularly important in view of the weight involved in bracing the spindle.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and from the drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus chosen for illustration of this invention, illustrating'in dotted lines the 15 tilting forwardly and rearwardly and the collapsed position for transportation.

Fig.' 2 is an end elevation illustrating in dotted lines a 45 position of drilling.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view corresponding to Fig. 2, showing lthe parts on alarger scale.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view corresponding to Fig. 1, showing the parts on a larger scale.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view looking down other means for accomplishing the same results, and the claims are therefore to be construed as broadly as possible, consistent with the prior art.

The apparatus has been shown as mounted on a truck andncludes a pedestal I2, a control head I3, a spindle Il carrying an'earth bit I6 which is suitably driven by a motor As seen in Figs. 2 and 3, the spindle I4 is rotatably journaled in a carriage 2|. The carriage 2| and spindle I4 extend through the control head I3 and are longitudinally movable with respect thereto.

General operation of drill In drilling a hole in the earth, the spindle'Ml and the bit carried thereby are rotated by the a motor I1, and the carriage 2| is released so thatbut, when desired, additional feeding force may carried by a yoke 43 of the carriage 2|.

be applied manually through the handle 23. After the bit has dug adesired depth, say8 to 18 inches, a clutch handle 24 is operated to stop the turning of spindle I4,and another clutch handle 26 is operated to cause the motor |1 to raise the carriage 2| with the spindle I4 and the earth bit. This draws up'out of the hole the dirt which had been dug during the drilling movement. The handle 26 is operated to a declutching and braking position at which it holds the carria'ge.2| in its-raised position. The handle 24 is now again operated to cause the motor to turn the spindle |4. The rotation of the spindle and the bit thereon causes the dirt above the bit to iiy out in al1 directions by centrifugal force. -The handle 26 is now operated to a third position which releases the brake so that the carriage 2| is released anda new drilling movement begins.

It is apparent from the foregoing description of the operation ofthe drill that the spindle I4 and its carriage 2| are raised and lowered -for every few inches of depth to which the hole is dug. Furthermore, they must both be somewhat longer than the depth of the hole which is desired. Accordingly, with deep holes the spindle and carriage will extend a long distance above.

the headl I3 when the spindle is raised above the ground and even during the rst few feet of the drilling operation. This has not presented any diiiiculty in drilling operations in which the holes were nearly vertical because with the spindle I4 nearly upright there would not be suflicient flexing thereof to cause any trouble. However, with the drill now designed to drill a hole slanting as much as 45 from the vertical, various new problems are encountered, one of which is bracing the spindle I4 and carriage 2| so as to prevent flexing of the spindle I4 and tortion of the carriage 2|, both of which would be very objectionable.

Carriage-guiding tow-er One of the problems encountered in 45 drilling is solved by provision of the tower 28, the general nature of which is seen best in Fig. 2. This tower is secured at its lower end to the head I3 by being bolted to a bracket 29 which in turn is bolted to the head I3, as seen best in Fig. 13. Bolts 30 may further secure the tower 28 to the head or to a bracket thereon (not shown) extending out around the carriage 2|. The tower is braced by a U-shaped brace 3| secured to lugs 32 on the tower 28 and to a remote portion of the control head I3 or, more accurately, to the inner cradle 34 by which the controlA head I3 is carried. The tower 28 includes longitudinal members 36 as well as suitable transverse bracing 31. As seen best in Fig; 5, the longitudinal members 36 are channel shaped with the channel sides' facing inwardly. The term channel shaped is not intended to exclude lI beams, although the latter are not necessary.

At the upper end of the carriage 2| four rollers 39 are rotatably carried-two on each side Aof the carriage 2|. These rollers may bemounted in any suitable way but are preferably carried by conventional .self-lubricating ball-bearing units 4| which in turn are mounted on shafts 42 The same top plate, it may be noted, journals the spindle I4 with a conventional ball-bearing mounting.

The rollers 39 preferably bear on the fillets 44 of the channel members 36, such fillets commonly being provided between 'the tapered For convenient assembly and disassembly of' the parts the tower 28 may be braced on one side by removable bars 48. When these bars are removed and the rollers 39 run to a position beyond the end of the tower 26, the carriage 2| and tower 28 may be separated laterally.

Feed structure,

The carriage 2| may be raised or lowered by means of a'pair of sprockets 5|, only one of which is shown, and which are mounted on a shaft 52. The shaft 52 may be driven in a raising direction by the motor |1 or in a. feeding direction by hand or may be braked against movement or may be released from all control. The sprockets 5| each engage a chain 53 which extends the length of the carriage 2|. Each chain is drawn tight by nuts 54 secured to draw bolts at opposite ends of the chain and bearing on springs 56 which provide a desired resiliency in the feeding and lifting of the carriage 2|. Heretofore it has been suiiicient to support such chains at their ends, but in drilling holes at a wide angle from the vertical these chains would tend to sag and cause considerable Wear and other difficulty. According to the .present invention they are oatingly anchored at frequent intervals. The floating anchors prevent sagging and at the same time permit the necessary slight longitudinal movement of the chain. This longitudinal movement is necessary in tightening the chain and in taking advantage of the resiliency provided by springs 56. Heretofore the longitudinal members of carriages, such as the carriage 2|, have been formed of T irons, but 'according to the present invention they are formed of square tubes 56, seen in cross section in Figs. 10 and 11. 'Ihese tubes are provided with a series of slots 59 which may conveniently be cut therein by a rotating cutter of say 1% inches radius so as to provide slots of a minimum length of 11/2 inches. Into each of these slots may extend a lug 6| formed as an4 extension of a side plate 62 of one of the chain links. The lug 6| has a locking flange 63 bent over on its end so that the lugv cannot be withdrawn from the slot 59 While the side plate 62 is assembled on the chain. It thus follows that,

Mounting 'of the control head As seen in Fig. 3, the control head I3 is carried by an inner cradle or mounting ring 34 which is pivotally carried by an outer cradle or mounting ring 61, seen best in Fig. 12. The inner cradle 34 telescopes axially into the outer cradle 61 and is secured therein in the manner best explained with additional reference to Figs. 6 to 9. The outer' cradle 61 has a slot 68 therein through which the key segments 69 and 1| of Figs. 6 and 'I may be inserted and secured to the inner cradle 34 in any suitable manner, as by bolts 12. In assembly the inner cradle- 8d will rst be turned approximately upside down, at which time the key segment 'Il will be inserted through slot 68 and boltedv to cradle 34.

The cradle will then be rotated back to its nor,

mal position, and key segment S9 will be inserted through slot 68 and bolted to cradle 34. It will be understood of course that although the slot 68 is only open along the angular distance required by movement of key segment 69,

it is extended in the form of a groove 'lall around the cradle. The wall forming groove I3 joins the two parts of the cradle 6l into a rigid structure. It will also be observed from'Figs. 8 and 9 that the key segments 68 and 1I t into recess 'IB in the inner cradle 34, so that independently of the bolts 12 the cradles are keyed against axial displacement.

The key segment 69 is a worm segment, the worm threads of which are exposed through the slot 68. A worm drive unit I6 is mounted on top of the cradle 61 with its worm gear (Fig. 12) engaging the worm segment 69. 'I'he worm drive unit I6 is provided with a handle Il which is equipped with a. reversible ratchet for rotating the worm in either direction, and thus drive the worm segment 69 and through it the inner cradle thus seen that one of the key segments serves also for a tilting worm.

In order to tilt the drilling unit in the opposite or forward and backward direction, the outer cradle 61 tilts about the longitudinal center of pins 8I which hold the cradle 61 in place on the pedestal I2. However, the pins 8l do not serve as bearings for the cradle 61, but to minimize wear the cradle 61 is provided with a bearing surface 82 of large diameter which bears on a complemental bearing portion 83 of pedestal I2, as seen best in Fig. 12.

Secured to the cradle 61 at one side thereof is a worm segment 86 which is engaged by a worm wheel 81. This worm wheel may be actuated .in either direction by a handle 88 connected-to the worm wheel 8l by a reversible latch. This worm gear drive may be used for tilting the drilling u nit forwardly or backwardly for drilling with an angle of 15 in either direcposition the tower 28 comes to rest on a stand 9I.

Because of the height and weight of the tower 28 it has been`found very desirable to counterbalance it as it approaches the horizontal position. Counterbalancing has been provided by a pair of springs 82-one on each side of the machine, each of which is compressed, as the tower 28 is lowered, by a piston 93 and 'flexible cable 94. The cables 94 are secured tothe cradle -61 by clamps 95 and lie in guideways 96 in cradle 61. Although the full length of these guideways is not shown in the drawings, they extend through an arc approximately commensurate with the worm segment 86, seen in Fig. 4. Since the counterbalancing is not necessary when the tower is near the vertical position, the spring 82 and piston 93 may have a stroke too short for counterbal'ancing through the full movement and hence' when the tower 28 is raised to say 30 from vertical the cables 94 may go slack.

The springs 92 may desirably be housed in a casing 91 which may be anchoredat its remote end to a base 98 for the motor I1.

The motor I1 is connected to the drilling unit through suitable universal joints 99, one of which is shown, and telescoping shaft therebetween.

Except as here described, the equipment may be substantially the same as that now well known inthe industry, being on sale by the Buda Company of Chicago, Illinois. Because this apparatus, including particularly the control head I3 and its various controlling levers, is of standard production and is well known, it isnot necessary to describe it in detail.

From the foregoing it is seen that an earth drill has been provided which is entirely practical and highly eicient for drilling deep holes at angles up to 45 from the vertical. 'I'he problems resulting from drilling at this angle have been adequately and economically solved. Furthermore, the equipment is highly mobile and it may be raised from its mobile position to its operative position by one man in a very short time.

I claim:

1. In an earth drill, a drilling spindle, a carriage rotatably mounting said spindle and mounted for longitudinal movement and at times disposed at a wide angle from the vertical, a ilexible chain' extending longitudinally along .the carriage, a sprocket adapted to engage the'chain to move the carriage longitudinally, and means for limiting the sagging of the chain comprising extensions carried by the chain and interlocking with the carriage.

2. An earth drill adapted to drill holes at a wide angle from the vertical, including a control head, a4 carriage movable longitudinally by the control head, a spindle extending through the control head and rotatably mountedon the carriage at widely spaced points on opposite sides of the control head, and a tower rigidly mounted on the control head and extending longitudinally of the carriage'and upwardly from the control head and movably supporting the upper portion of the carriage therein. y

3. An earth drill adapted to drill holes at a wide angle from the vertical, including a control head, a carriage movable longitudinally by the control head, a spindleextending through the control head and rotatably mounted on the carriage at widely spaced points on opposite sides of the control head, and a tower rigidly mounted on the control head and extending longitudinally of the carriage and upwardly from the control head and movably supporting the upper portionv of the carriage therein, said control head being mounted on a mounting ring adjustahly carried in a complemental annular carriage for tilting the drilling mechanism.

4. An earth drill adapted to drill holes at a wide angle from the vertical, including a control head, a carriage movable longitudinally by the control head, a spindle extending through the control. head and rotatably mounted on the carriage at widely spaced points on opposite sides of the control head, and a tower rigidly mounted on the control head and extending longitudinally of the carriage and upwardly from the control head and movably supporting the upper portion of the carriage therein, said tower comprising inwardly facing channel members, the flanges of which form a guideway for the carriage.

5. An earth drill adapted to drillholes at a wide angle from the verticalgincluding a control head, a carriage movable longitudinally by the control head, a spindle rotatably mounted on the carriage, and a tower rigidly mounted on the carriage and upwardly from the control head and movably supporting the upper Aportion of the carriage therein, said tower comprising inwardly facing channel members, the ilanges of which form a guideway for the carriage, and the carriage having rollers thereon engaging said flanges.

6. An earth drill adapted to drill holes at a wide angle fromv the vertical, including a control head, a carriage movable longitudinally by the control head, a spindle rotatably mounted on the carriage, and a tower rigidly mounted on the control head and extending longitudinally of the carriage and upwardly from the control head and movably supporting the upper portion of the carriage therein, said tower comprising inwardly facing channel members having fillets connecting the ilanges and the center web, and the carriage having on opposite sides thereof roller means positioned to roll on both llets of one channel member whereby the roller means are guided against movement in all directions perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the carriage.

7. In an earth drill, a drilling spindle,l a carl riage rotatably mounting said spindle, mounted for longitudinal movement and at times disposed at an angle from the vertical and including hollow longitudinal members, a flexible chain extending longitudinally along the carriage, a sprocket adapted to engage the chain to move the carriage longitudinally, and means for limiting the sagging of the chain comprising extensions carried by the chain and hooked in slots in the longitudinal members.

8. 'I'he combination of a chain and a chain holder having remote portions; of the chain secured thereto and having an intermediate portion of the chain secured thereto by an extension carcontrol head and extending longitudinally of the ried by a link of the chain and hooked to the vcured theretoby an extension carried by a link of the chain and slidably hooked to the holder.

10. In an earth drill, a drilling spindle, a carriage rotatably mounting said spindle and mounted for longitudinal movement and at times disposed at a wide angle from the vertical, a ilexible chain extending longitudinally along the carriage, a sprocket adapted to engage the chain to move the carriage longitudinally, and means for limiting the sagging of the chain comprising means interlocking the chain with the carriage.

11. In an earth drill, a control head, a drilling spindle passing therethrough, a carriage rotatably mounting said spindle and mounted for longitudinal movement with the spindle and at times disposed at a wide angle from the vertical, a ilexible chain extending longitudinally along the carriage, a sprocket adapted to engage the chain to move the carriage longitudinally, means for limiting the sagging of the chain comprising extensions carried by the chain and interlocking with the carriage, and a tower rigidly secured to the controlhead and supporting the upwardly and outwardly projecting portion of the carriage.

, l2. An earth drill including a cradle adapted to tilt in a forward or rearward direction about an axis substantially therethrough, an inner mounting member through which theaxls passes and which is carried by the cradle with pivotal movement about a second axis perpendicularto the rst named axis, and a drilling unit carried by the inner mounting member and having a control head and a spindle carriage extending high above .the control head; characterized by the provision pivotal movement in a lateral direction, and adrilling unit carried by the inner mounting member and having a control head and a spindle carriage extending high above the control head, and including a chain stretched substantially the length of the carriage for engagement by a sprocket to move the carriage; characterized by the provision of means slidably anchoring the chain to the carriage intermediate the length of the chain, and the provision of a tower extending longitudinally of the carriage above the control head for movably bracing the carriage, and further characterized by having the inner mounting member with the drill unit pivotable laterally lthrough approximately 45 from the vertical position, the cradle and inner mounting member being annular to prevent binding or separation by the weight of the inclined tower.

14. A tiltable mounting for a tower or the like, including inner and outer mounting rings, one of which is adapted to carry the tower and the other to be secured to support means, said rings being adapted to be telescoped together, and means securing said rings together including a worm segment secured after telescoping of the rings to the ring adapted to carry the tower, an@ engaging a slot through the other ring.

' 15. A tiltable mounting for a tower or the like, including an annular cradle having a slot therethrough extending circumferentially of the cradle at least approximately half of the periphery of the cradle and having a groove forming a continuation of the slot, opening on the inside of the cradle, and formed in part by a Wall integral with the two portions of the cradle separated by the slot, and a mounting ring, adapted to carry the tower or the like, telescoped within the cradle and secured therein by oppositely positioned key means secured to the mounting member and extending into the slideway formed by the slot and groove.

16. A tiltable mounting for a tower or the like,

' including an annular cradle having a slot therethrough extending circumferentially of the cradle and having a groove forming a circumferening unit carriedrby the inner lmounting memberand .having a control head and a -spindle carriage extending high above the control head; characterized by the provision-of a tower extending longitudinally of the carriage above the control head and rigid therewith for movably bracing the carriage, and further characterized by having the inner mounting member with the drill unit and tower pivotable laterally from the vertical position,A and by the provision of means operatively associated with the cradle for counterbalancing the tower as the cradle is tilted in a forward or rearward direction, said counterbalancing means being eiTective-.only after the tower has been tilted to an angleof approximately 30' whereby the counterbalancing means may have a relatively short stroke.

18. An earth drill including a cradle adapted to tilt in a forward or rearward direction, aninner mounting member carried by the cradle with pivotal movement ina lateral direction, and a drilling unit carried by the inner mounting member and having a control head and a spindle carriage extending high above the control head; characterized by the provision of a tower extending longitudinally of the carriage above the control head and rigid therewithvfor movably bracing the carriage, and further characterized by having thek inner mounting member with the drill unit and tower pivotable laterally from the vertical position, and by the provision of means operatively associatedwith. the cradle for counterbalancing the tower as the cradle is tilted in a forward or rearward direction; said counterbalancing means comprising iiexible means attached to'the cradle and engaging a generally arcuate portion thereof and a spring compressed by the iiexible means.

. 19. Anl earth drill including a cradle adapted to tilt about a horizontal axis, an -inner mounting member carried by the cradle with a pivotal movement about an axis perpendicular to said horizontal axis, and a drilling unit carried bythe inner mounting member and having a control head, a vspindle carriage extending through and at times high above the controlhead, and a drive A"shaft jcurnaled in the drilling unit and extending rearwardly of the cradle; characterized by the provision of a tower extending longitudinally of the carriage above the control head and rigid therewith for movably bracing the carriage, and further characterized by having the inner .mount- .ingmember with the drilling unit pivotable laterally through approximately 45 from the vertical position, the cradle and inner mounting member being annular to prevent binding o'r separai tion by the Weight of the inclined tower.

HUGH, s. BROWN. 

